Crane shell span



Nov. 12, 1968 J. SZULC CRANE SHELL SPAN Filed Nov. 18, 196E United States Patent CRANE SHELL SPAN Jozef Szulc, Ul. Lobzowska 35/5, Krakow, Poland Filed Nov. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 508,475 Claims priority, application Poland, Nov. 21, 1964,

Claims. ('Cl. 212-13) The span of the present invention serves as a horizontal supporting beam of a crane frame. Previously used cranes have spans which are in the form of a beam composed of two or four trussed girders or plain girders.

There are also existing spans of a shell-like supporting construction which in cross section are of convex and closed geometric shape.

The present invention is a crane span made as a closed supporting shell construction provided with a longitudinal, semi-circular groove vat the bottom thereof for permitting passage therethrough of the travelling crab of a winch.

The lower portions of the shell span are bent inwardly to form semi-circular rollers which stiffen the lower portion of the span shell and which also serve as means of support for rails on which the travelling crab of the winch rides. The use of beams for supporting the rails therefore becomes unnecessary.

The present invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a side view of a bridge crane with a shell span construction 1, FIG. 2 is a cross section of the bridge crane, and FIG. 3 is a cross section of the crane span.

The crane span is in the shape of a metal-sheet shell 2 which is stabilized by a skeleton composed of transverse ribs 3 separated from the shell by longitudinal ribs 4 extending the entire length of the bridge.

The lower portion of the span is formed into two semicircular roller surfaces 5 between which there is provided a longitudinal semicircular groove 6 extending the entire length of the bridge. On the inner surfaces of the semicircular rollers 5 are mounted supports 7, on which, in

3,410,414 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 turn, are mounted rails 8. Rails 8 extend longitudinally the length of the bridge, and are the means on which crab 9 and hook 10 attached thereto traverse the length of the bridge. Span 2 isprovided with openings 11 for access and servicing of the bridge and with mounts 12 for ropes.

I claim:

1. A bridge crane comprising a shell member, said member having a lower region with two equal semicircular surfaces defining a semi-circular groove therebetween, support means mounted on each of the semi-circular surfaces within said groove, rails mounted on said support means for accommodating a wheeled crab positioned within the groove, and a skeleton support structure for said shell member.

2. The bridge crane as claimed in claim 1 wherein said skeleton support structure comprises transverse ribs and longitudinal ribs.

3. The bridge crane as claimed in claim 1 wherein said transverse ribs are provided with cut-out portions for access.

4. The bridge crane as claimed in claim 1 comprising rope mounts secured within said shell member.

5. The bridge crane as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means and the rails thereon are mounted on'the semi-circular surfaces such that the rails lie in planes extending substantially parallel to the planes at which the support means is connected to the semi-circular surfaces whereby the latter serve to reinforce the shell member and to distribute the load on the rails into the shell member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,136,265 11/1938 Petty 244119 2,741,447 4/1956 Heal 244--1l9 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,117,279 11/ 1961 Germany.

ANDRES H. NIELSEN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BRIDGE CRANE COMPRISING A SHELL MEMBER, SAID MEMBER HAVING A LOWER REGION WITH TWO EQUAL SEMICIRCULAR SURFACES DEFINING A SEMI-CIRCULAR GROOVE THEREBETWEEN, SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED ON EACH OF THE SEMI-CIRCULAR SURFACES WITHIN SAID GROOVE, RAILS MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR ACCOMMODATING A WHEELED CRAB POSITIONED WITHIN THE GROOVE, AND A SKELETON SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SAID SHELL MEMBER. 